1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to airborne targets, and more particularly, to towed target bodies which are deployed from drone aircraft and are released and recovered at expiration of the mission.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Airborne targets are in wide use for evaluation of missile performance and for training of weapon firing crews. In order to decrease the losses of expensive primary airborne targets, secondary targets have been towed behind a piloted or drone aircraft. Also, some of these secondary targets are built to be recovered and re-used. The present invention is aimed at providing a tow target system of the very least possible overall cost of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,167 to Hopper et al discloses a reeling apparatus utilizing the airstream acting on a turbine with manually controlled deployment of the tow cable from a manned aircraft wherein provisions are made for deploying two targets, in sequence, using a single tow cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,869 to Hopper et al shows a tow target deployable from a manned aircraft wing using a tow reel near the airplane centerline, but the target is towed behind the wing-mounted launcher located outboard on the wing.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,923,549 to Hopper et al discloses a tow target launcher for use on an unmanned airborne vehicle, wherein the target launching and later jettisoning may be controlled by remote radio. The target is held attached by its nose to the carrier and is also towed at its nose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,769 to Jones shows a towline reel decelerated by an electrically actuated magnetic brake for retraction of a towed target.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,642 to Wieland et al discloses a parachute recovery system for a towed aircraft wherein the system is automatically initiated when the towing cable goes slack. A similar recovery system in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,867 to Daikeler et al is initiated by electrical contact of the slack towing cable with a contact ring on the towed aircraft skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,726 to Pittinger shows a tow target system which can carry four tow darts, each dart being towed at a top point slightly ahead of the center of gravity of the dart. The tow cable is housed within the tow body and the system inherently requires short deployment length.
These existing targets and components result in substantial weight and cost of an overall tow target system.